The ABC Young Performers Awards is a classical music competition for young people that ran annually from 1944 to 2015, and again from 2017. It is generally considered the most prestigious Australian classical music competition not restricted to a single instrument. It was conducted by the

Australian Broadcasting Corporation The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is the national broadcaster of Australia. It is principally funded by direct grants from the Australian Government and is administered by a government-appointed board. The ABC is a publicly-own ...

in conjunction with

Symphony Australia Symphony Services International, formerly known as Symphony Australia, is a centralised organisation formed in 1997 for six Australian symphony orchestras: Adelaide, Melbourne, Queensland, Sydney, Tasmania and Western Australia. The orchestras wer ...

(a trading name of Symphony Services Australia Limited, a non-profit arts organisation that operates both domestically and internationally). In December 2015 it was announced that the competition would be discontinued with immediate effect, as Symphony Australia could no longer support it. However, in October 2016 the return of the competition from 2017 was announced. It will now be under the management of the Music & Opera Singers Trust (MOST), a philanthropic organisation.

Names

The competition had a number of names throughout its history. * It was founded in 1944 by the then

Australian Broadcasting Commission The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is the national broadcaster of Australia. It is principally funded by direct grants from the Australian Government and is administered by a government-appointed board. The ABC is a publicly-owned ...

as a set of six state-based competitions. * In 1950 it was given the name ABC Concerto and Vocal Competition. * In 1968 it became known as the ABC Instrumental and Vocal competition. * In 1987 it was renamed the ABC Young Performers Awards. * In 1997 the Concerts Division of the ABC devolved to become

, and the competition was then known as the Symphony Australia Young Performers Awards. * In 2005 after a corporate restructure within Symphony Australia, the competition was rebranded as the ABC Symphony Australia Young Performers Awards. * In 2016 after the Music & Opera Singers Trust (MOST) took carriage of the awards, the competition was rebranded as the ABC Young Performers Awards.

Format

The structure of the competition also underwent numerous changes. Initially, there were six state-based competitions, with no overall winner. In 1949, the six state winners competed for the Commonwealth final for the first time. In 1950, singers and instrumentalists were separated. In 1968 a Preliminary Recital stage was introduced and the instrumental categories were divided into Keyboard and Other. In 1978, four categories were introduced: Vocal, Orchestral Strings, Keyboard, and Other Instrumental. In 1981 came an award for the most outstanding competitor, their prize including concerts with ABC orchestras. In 1986 the State finals were converted to four category finals. In 2002 the vocal division of the competition was disbanded and the award transferred over to the Australian Singing Competition. From 2013 until 2015, all entrants were exposed to Preliminary Auditions which were held in each state, from which 12 finalists were chosen by the judges irrespective of their instrument. All 12 finalists played in a Recital round; six were chosen to proceed to the Chamber Music round; and three contested the Concerto round. One of these three was chosen as the ABC Symphony Australia Young Performer of the Year. The chamber and concerto rounds are hosted each year by a different state orchestra of Australia, 2013's awards will be hosted by the

Melbourne Symphony Orchestra The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (MSO) is an Australian orchestra based in Melbourne. The MSO is resident at Hamer Hall. The MSO has its own choir, the MSO Chorus, following integration with the Melbourne Chorale in 2008. The MSO relies on f ...

. From 2017, preliminary auditions are by digital video submission from which 12 Semi Finalists are chosen by the judges, irrespective of their instrument or location. All 12 Semi Finalists play in a series of competitive public recitals from which three Finalists are chosen to proceed to the Finals. One of the Finalists is chosen as the overall winner and is named the Young Performer of the Year. The awards are broadcast on ABC Classic FM. In 2018, the recital round was held at

City Recital Hall City Recital Hall in Sydney, Australia, is a purpose-built concert venue with the capacity for an audience of 1,238 people seated over three tiers of sloped seating. It is situated in the city centre in Angel Place, just off Martin Place. City ...

in Sydney, and the final concerto round was held at the Sydney Opera House with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. The winner of the 2018 competition was the violinist Emily Sun.

Notable competitors

The Young Performers Awards and its predecessors featured some of the best known names in the Australian classical music scene. They include: * Caroline Almonte (piano; 1992) * Adele Anthony (violin; 1984) * Fiona Campbell (mezzo-soprano; 1994) * Catherine Carby (soprano; 1996) *

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(piano; 1993) * Mark Chu (piano; 2005) * Tamara Anna Cislowska (piano; 1991) * Jeffrey Crellin (oboe; 1973) * Brieley Cutting (piano; 2006) * Andrew Kawai (oboe; 2013, 2014) * Keith Crellin (viola; 1972) * Robert Davidovici (violin; 1967) * Andrew Day (flute; 1996) * Deborah de Graaff (clarinet; 1983) *

Brett Dean Brett Dean (born 23 October 1961) is an Australian composer, violist and conductor. Biography Brett Dean was born, raised and educated in Brisbane. He started learning violin at the age of eight, and later studied viola with Elizabeth Morgan ...

(viola; 1981) *

Amy Dickson Amy Dickson (born 1982) is an Australian classical saxophone player. Early life Dickson was born in Sydney. She began to play piano at the age of two, and saxophone at the age of six. She initially played 'some jazz' in her youth, but eventual ...

(saxophone; 2004) * Diana Doherty (oboe; 1985) *

Claire Edwardes Claire Olivia Edwardes (born 9 September 1975) is an Australian classical percussionist, artistic director, composer and advocate for change in the classical music sector.''Who's Who in Australia'' 2018, ConnectWeb. Edwardes is the co-founder and ...

(percussion; 1999) *

Richard Farrell Richard Farrell (30 December 1926 – 27 May 1958) was a New Zealand classical pianist. Musical career Early life Thomas Richard Farrell was born in Auckland in 1926 to Thomas and Ella Farrell, and spent most of his young years in Wellingto ...

(piano; 1944) * Gustav Fenyo (piano; 1969) *

Glenys Fowles Glenys Rae Fowles AM (born 4 November 1941; some sources say 1946) is an Australian operatic soprano who sang with Opera Australia and its predecessors for many years. She also sang at Covent Garden, Glyndebourne, and for the New York City Opera ...

(soprano; 1967) * David Fung (piano; 2002) *

Charmian Gadd Charmian Gadd OAM (b.1942) is an Australian violinist and teacher. Career Gadd grew up in Ourimbah, New South Wales, and learned to play violin at three years old. Her family listened to Alfred Ernest Floyd's ''Music Lover’s Hour'' on ABC ...

(violin; 1962) * Duncan Gifford (piano; 1989) * Miriam Gormley (soprano; 1985) * Nance Grant (soprano; 1960) * Bernadette Harvey (piano; 1987) *

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(piano; state finalist 6 times) *

Vernon Hill Vernon W. Hill II (born August 18, 1945) is an American businessman, the founder and former chairman of Metro Bank, a UK retail bank with 77 stores, and assets of £7.4b ($10.6b). He was also the founder, former chairman, president and CEO of ...

(flute; 1965) * Caitlin Hulcup (mezzo-soprano; 2001) * Rosamund Illing (soprano; 1976) * Beryl Kimber (violin; 1946) * Alison Lazaroff-Somssich (violin; 1986) * Bernice Lehmann (piano; 1948) * Clemens Leske (jr; piano; 1990) * Geoffrey Douglas Madge (piano; 1963) * Emma Matthews (soprano; 1993) * Stephen McIntyre (piano; 1960) * Ian Munro (piano; 1982) * Jolanta Nagajek (mezzo-soprano; 1981) * Mary-Jean O'Doherty (soprano; 2007) * Max Olding (piano; 1952) * Geoffrey Parsons (piano; 1947) * Geoffrey Payne (trumpet; 1982) * Li-Wei Qin (cello; 1993) * Julie Raines (harp; 1970) * Lachlan Redd (piano; 1996) * Paul Rickard-Ford (piano; 1983) * Sophie Rowell (violin; 2000) * Victor Sangiorgio (piano; 1978) * Julian Smiles (cello; 1988) * Jonathan Summers (baritone; 1973) *

Simon Tedeschi Simon Tedeschi (born 1 May 1981) is an Australian classical pianist and writer. Early life Tedeschi was born in Gosford to Mark Tedeschi QC, Senior Crown Prosecutor for New South Wales, and doctor Vivienne Tedeschi, the daughter of a Polis ...

(piano; 1998) * Lloyd Van’t Hoff (clarinet; 2015) * Alan Vivian (clarinet; 1975) * Nathan Waks (cello; 1968) * Neil Warren-Smith (bass-baritone; 1955) * Donald Westlake (clarinet: 1952) * Kristian Winther (violin; 2002) *

Roger Woodward Roger Woodward (born 20 December 1942) is an Australian classical pianist, composer, conductor and teacher. Life and career Early life The youngest of four children, Roger Woodward was born in Sydney where he received first piano lessons ...

(piano; 1964) * Emily Sun (violin; 2018) * Ashley William Smith (Clarinet, 2010)

References

External links

* {{Official Website, http://youngperformersawards.org/
Symphony Services International

Music & Opera Singers Trust
Recurring events established in 1944 1944 establishments in Australia 2015 disestablishments in Australia 2017 establishments in Australia Music competitions in Australia Australian music awards Classical music in Australia Australian Broadcasting Corporation Symphony Services International